


The Adventures of Jemima Tabitha Kirk

by Hallenee



Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: Child Abuse, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Miscarriage, Promiscuity, Tarsus IV, girl!Jim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-10
Updated: 2011-12-10
Packaged: 2017-10-27 04:05:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/291439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hallenee/pseuds/Hallenee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A look at how Jim Kirk became more than just Bones' best friend. A slow building relationship from their meeting on that shuttle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Adventures of Jemima Tabitha Kirk

**Author's Note:**

> Un-beta'd. Sorry for any mistakes.

Doctor Leonard McCoy was a respected trauma surgeon in Georgia. He'd published articles in journals, pioneered new surgery and even delivered a pair of twins as their mother died in a car crash. All these things, he'd been told, made him a prime candidate for Starfleet. What Leonard though though, as he stumbled into his seat on the shuttle was how he'd managed to fuck up so badly he'd ended here.

 

"I may throw up on you," he told the pretty blonde next to him.

\- - -

Jemima Tabitha Kirk was a genius. As Pike had said the night before she was the only genius level repeat offender in Iowa. But she was happy with that. She'd never wanted to attend Starfleet, it had taken too much from her already. And settling down had never given her anything either. Pike, though, knew which buttons to press and knew how to play her. So it was that she found herself on the next Starfleet shuttle to San Francisco. 'Fuck it' she though as a guy dropped into the seat next to her.

"I may throw up on you," he groaned.

\- - -

The ride passed quickly for Leonard and Jim, as he had learnt she preferred. She had learnt about his messy divorce - granting him the name 'Bones'. He'd quickly learnt that she was clever, too clever, and had a wicked sense of humour. That and an appreciation for hard liquor.

Pike had obviously comm'd ahead as there was a welcoming committee waiting to greet them. A bookish girl in cadet reds was waiting with kit bags of uniform for them both. She handed them both PADDs before saying,

"As you've started the semester late we haven't assigned dorms for you yet,"

"That's fine. We'll just bunk together," Jim said nonchalantly.

"But you can't!" the cadet frowned. "Co-ed pairings are discouraged by Starfleet regulations. And as a qualified Doctor then Doctor McCoy is entitled to his own quarters."

"Problems?" Pike said coming over from where he had finished checking the last of the cadets off the shuttle.

"Just need you to sign off on Bones and I bunking together, Captain," Jim smiled sweetly. The cadet bristled as Pike turned to the doctor.

"Complaints doc?"

"S'long as I'm not in the main dorms" Bones shrugged. Jim was a good laugh and hey, they could both be fuck ups together.

Pike nodded and typed his authorisation code into the PADD. Automatically the details were updated.

"See you soon cadets" he said as he walked off.

Jim looked at her PADD. "Bastard!" she hissed.

"What?" Bones asked looking at his.

Room Assigned: Flat 2A, George Kirk Building

\- - -

The first two weeks were busy. Joining the semester three weeks late meant that they had missed the beginning sessions on regulations, learning the new rules and introducing themselves to their fellow cadets. Bones' class load was easier. He'd tested out of most of the first year medical classes as he was already qualified. Instead he'd been assigned extra shifts at the academy hospital as well as running clinics in the small office on campus. He'd taken other courses from different tracks that sounded interested to meet his required credit count but they weren't as intensive as he could've otherwise faced.

For Jim, the first fortnight had been spent charming faculty members into giving private lessons and catching up on the missed sessions. Bones was also convinced that she'd signed up for every extra curricular activity going.

So it was that it took too weeks until her medical could be undertaken. It had only taken her half an hour after first settling in to their new flat - based on the edge of campus between the main dorms and the officer quarters, the building provided accommodation for couples and medical students - to request McCoy as her physician but this was the earliest her medical could be scheduled.

Bones was sat at the computer terminal when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" he called out. Jim entered, dressed today in the skirted version of the female uniform. "Hop on the bed. Won't be a moment." Jim did, silently, causing Bones to turn. She was sat on the bed looking decidedly pale and fiddling with the hem of her sleeves. Bones had never seen this side of Jim before. She had never seemed so small before either. Usually she was so loud and full of confidence that she her size was irrelevant. He rolled his stool over so he was level with her, her knees between his. She still wouldn't look him in the eye so he reached out and lifted her chin.

"You wanna tell me what happened to your medical records since you were 8 darlin'?" he said softly, his voice picking up more of his Southern accent.

"Lost in the system?" Jim shrugged, the spark in her voice never reaching the eyes that still refused to meet his. Bones snorted. It hadn't taken more than two days before he realised the futility of locking things away from Jim. The first thing she'd done was steal all the textbooks of his PADD, copyright protection be damned.

"Lay back then darlin'" he said removing his hand from her cheek.

"Kinky," Jim tried but he could tell her heart wasn't in it.

"Hold still or we'll be here all evening." McCoy warned as the biobed started an in depth scanned. Soon enough his PADD beeped as the results were fed through. Jim sat back up and McCoy rolled back to sit in front of her again. He wasn't sure why but it could have been to stop Jim from escaping.

He whistled as he looked at the results. When he'd first met Jim he hadn't missed the bust lip or the black eye, he'd merely ignored it. Now though he was shocked by the amount of trauma one body could withstand.

"You've broken near enough every bone in your body, sometimes more than once and without proper treatment. They haven't healed properly. Nor has your shoulder - dislocation I'd say. Your bones show extended periods of malnutrition. Given your height I'd say that extended into your teens..."

"I know my medical history," Jim snapped. Her eyes meeting Leonard's for the first time.

"Wanna tell me then how half these things came about? Like how you managed to have the bones in both hands crushed? Or the scarring down your back?" Bones asked bitterly.

Silence reigned in the small exam room before Jim deflated.

"Are you going to sign me off or not?" she asked in a small voice.

"I'm going to order a full blood work on you. Not least because you have an incomplete allergy record. And I'll be scheduling surgery for your shoulder. We'll see what happens after that." Bones said. The lack of information troubled him but he'd studied enough Psych to know not to push someone to admit to trauma.

"Will you do the surgery?" Jim asked, looking hopeful. Bones sighed inwardly. IT was discouraged from doing surgery on anyone close because it was near impossible to detach fully and, despite their short acquaintance, Jim was fast becoming his best friend and the sister he had never had - irritating, too damn nosy but loveable despite it.

"It's not a good idea," Bones started and watched the glimmer in her eyes fade. "But I'll try." he found himself agreeing. Jim beamed and threw her arms around his neck giving him no choice but to hug back.

\- - -

It was a month into his Starfleet career when Bones was first called in to Captain Pike's office.

"Doctor McCoy, take a seat." Pike offered as he leant back in his chair. "I'm sorry it's taken so long. I usually try and see every cadet by the fifth week of term but we've had a few more than expected this term and I thought I'd give you some time to settle in. How has it been so far?"

"Alright I s'pose. Not really what I expected to be doing at my age," Bones shrugged. He did sometimes feel like the only adult amongst children. He was 28, over 10 years older than some of the other cadets.

"I can imagine. No issues though?"

"No sir"

"And your room-mate? How is life with Jim?" Pike asked leaning forwards. Bones laughed, remembering the comedy this morning as Jim had woken up late for classes and then run back breathless as she'd left behind her umbrella.

"She's something," he said through his chuckles.

"That she is," Pike smiled back. "From what I remember so is her attitude to privacy and personal space."

Bones nodded.

"I'm hiding my liquor in my locker at the clinic. I think my colleagues might sign me up for the local AA chapter soon,"

Now it was Pike's turn to guffaw. The two men spent a few minutes in shared mirth. Pike leant down and removed a bottle and two glasses from his desk drawer.

"I'm sure Jim already knows it's here and my access code but don't tell her anyway," he warned as he poured a generous serving for Bones. "I saw you performed surgery on her shoulder?" Pike asked. Bones tensed. "I'm her academic advisor. I have access to your public notes on her medical records," Pike continued.

Bones nodded.

"I'm surprised you got her to agree to it," Pike said non committally.

"She needs me to sign off for her advanced self defence classes." Bones shrugged.

"That would make sense. I must admit, I was surprised when Jim took to you so soon. Usually she struggles to create attachments to anyone. Brilliant at charming people but not creating close ties." Pike said leaning his weight on his elbows on his desk again.

Bones wasn't sure how to answer that.

"I'm glad she's finally found a friend. Could you do me one favour though Doc?" Pike paused. "Not as Captain to Cadet but as her unofficial Uncle. Can you make sure she eats right? She is certainly brilliant but when she sets her mind to something then she can completely forget basic needs like eating."

Bones was a little taken aback. He'd noticed on his days off that when Jim was studying he had to prod her to eat dinner and it was usually one handed as she continued to read. He hadn't realised that Jim was so close to Captain Pike. That did explain how she'd enrolled so late and how she'd got away with some of her advanced classes.

"Of course I will," he agreed readily though.

"Thank you. Feel free to come to me for anything during your time here," Pike offered as he showed McCoy to the door.

\- - -

For all he had promised to make sure that Kirk ate enough, something he'd been doing since he had found out about her past malnutrition - he was still unsure if it was an eating disorder or something else, the abuse on her body could have gone either way - it wasn't always possible. Especially when he got back from a late shift like tonight to find the flat empty with just a note.

Dinner in oven. Gone to party at Chancellor Building.

Jim

Now that the semester was winding up and the course load was down to what everyone was suffering and no longer included extra remedial sessions, Bones had found out about Jim's love to flirt and party. It was anyone's guess if she would be back home tonight. More often than not when she went out she found another person to keep her bed warm. As far as he knew though, she'd not brought anyone back to their flat.

Finishing off the lasagne portion left in the oven, Jim had cooked it three times since Bones let slip it was his favourite, Bones took a shower and went straight to bed.

It was sometime around 3am when he felt a small body slip in behind him in his double bed. Turning over, he pulled her closer to him before going back to sleep.

Waking up in the morning, the first thing he noticed was that he wasn't alone. Cracking open an eye he was greeted with the sight of his energetic room mate for once at peace. The second thing he noticed was the floral smell of her shampoo. The third thing he noticed was his body's reaction to having a woman in his bed again after such a long time. Shuffling out quickly, he grabbed his towel and headed to their shared bathroom.

Leaning his head against the cool tile, he let the water cascade down his back whilst he scolded himself. 'Dammit Len, she's your room-mate! And she's suffered enough to be your rebound!'

\- - -

A week later the semester ended. Bones had managed to avoid Jim for the week using the excuse of exams and extra shifts at the clinic. So far he was convinced Jim hadn't noticed anything amiss and, for the most part, he was right. Jim was incredibly observant but had her own tests to worry about.

"You going home for Christmas?" Jim asked, leaning against her bedroom door when she heard Bones come into the flat they shared.

"Yeah," Bones smiled a dreamy smile. "Gonna see my little girl again."

Jim nodded. He'd heard about Bones' daughter Joanna. Bones had even introduced Jim when she'd been in the room once whilst he was on the comm to Joanna.

"And Jocelyn?" Jim asked. Over the course of the shuttle ride she'd learnt the basics behind his divorce but over the semester she'd started to understand some more about it. The information she'd gotten she'd been able to piece together to make a sort of complete picture. Bones had been working hard at his career and then his father had gotten ill and in the end Jocelyn hadn't appreciated coming third, fourth really after Joanna, so she'd looked for attention elsewhere and then Bones had found out and they'd gotten divorced with both parties feeling hurt, betrayed and raw.

"Kinda have to. She is Joanna's mom," Bones said shrugging. He wasn't keen on the idea but the one thing that they had agreed in the divorce was that they'd keep civil in front of their daughter. It wasn't her fault and it wasn't fair to her to see her parents fight. Besides, it had been four months since the divorce and whilst he was nowhere near healed from the ordeal, the wound left by their split had started to scab over. He was able to see that he'd been to blame just as much as Jocelyn - perhaps more so. A part of him, a rational side he tried hard not to listen to, even accepted that his bitterness sprung more from his own failures as a husband than any actions of Jocelyn.

"Want me to start on dinner?" Jim offered. Bones nodded and after hanging up his coat and scarf, dropped onto the couch. He watched Jim as she pottered about the kitchen, stirring pans and occasionally testing the mix before adding a little more salt or pepper. He had offered his help to her when they had first moved in and found out that she could cook but she insisted that she preferred to cook alone.

"Too many cooks spoil the broth," she had quoted him before shoving a beer in his hands and pushing him over to the sofa.

Now though, watching her moving about with such familiarity, his treacherous body started to remember what it was like waking up next to her. Shifting in his seat he got up to grab a beer from the fridge. Unfortunately, he ended up having to brush past her as she reached for the cream in the fridge. He stiffened waiting for Jim to say anything but she continued cooking without comment.

Later on though, as he was half asleep, he felt Jim join him in bed again and if he held her a little closer this time, no mention was made in the morning.

\- - -

Bones returned in the new year the day before classes started again. He'd brought plenty of holovids for Jim to see. It had been a great holiday for him. He'd made peace with his mother who didn't blame him for his father's death, even if Bones still felt guilty. He'd even been civil with Jocelyn's lover. Best of all was that he'd spent a glorious two weeks with his daughter.

The lights were off when he got to the flat but he called out anyway. Receiving no reply he made his way through to her bedroom and pushed the door open. Still no Jim. Turning round he saw a note stuck to the fridge.

Hi Bones,

Don't know when you'll be back but I've been accepted on an Advanced Avionics course over the break

and won't be back until the Tuesday after classes start.

JTK

P.S. I ordered groceries to be delivered on the Sunday evening before the new semester.

Biting down his disappointment, Leonard set to unpacking his things before the shopping arrived.

\- - -

Jim arrived back on the Tuesday morning as expected. She'd been getting increasingly excited about seeing her room mate Bones, pretty much since he'd left if she were honest. Still, she'd had a good time on the course. Most of the members were third and fourth year cadets but there were a few second years, including a young Russian named Chekov who she'd taken under her wing. He was brilliant and they'd hit it off over a mutual ability to calculate flight patterns and navigation faster than the computer. Another second year, Sulu, was an excellent helmsman. Jim was already starting to think about who she wanted in her bridge crew when she graduated and these two were included in her list of potentials. They would be graduating from their fourth years as she was graduating (she was still convinced she'd do it in three) so would be available.

Bursting into her shared flat, she dumped her bag at the door and bounded to McCoy's room. Snuggling under the covers she rested her head on her hand as she stared down at him. He was cute in his sleep. Certainly he didn't frown nearly as much as he did awake.

"Bad manners to stare," he growled out, his accent thick and his eyes still clamped shut.

"Have you missed me Bones?" she drawled attempting, and failing, to match his accent. Bones opened his eyes to look at her.

"Like a boil," he replied sarcastic. Jim hit him on the chest.

"Ow!" he cried out, turning over and capturing her hand in his. "That's not nice," he sulked. Jim laughed a musical laugh which caused Bones to smile. She dropped her head off her hand and rested it on the pillow so they were nose to nose.

"How was Joanna?" she asked quietly.

"Good. I brought back pictures," Bones smiled. "You enjoy your time in a death can?"

Jim laughed. Still the same old Bones.

"Was great fun. You should try it!"

She laughed again as Bones shuddered. He rolled on to his back and she rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart beating beneath her. An hour later she woke up in the same position to find Bones reading a PADD over her head.

"Sleep well darlin'?" he asked and she felt the vibrations through his chest. She nodded before stretching out.

"Time?" she asked, voice scratchy.

"11am, sorry 1100 hours," Bones answered. Jim smiled. He hated using military time. Still she only had an hour before her first class so she pushed herself up and out of bed to get ready.

\- - -

Bones sighed as Jim left. It was becoming increasingly difficult being around Jim as she got closer and closer to him. Jocelyn has done the same thing, falling asleep on his chest and curling up next to him at night. He couldn't be sure if his attraction was because Jim reminded him of his ex-wife, if it were for Jim herself or if it was just because he hadn't had any in a while. Well, that last option he could take care of he supposed. A nurse at the clinic had dropped hints all of last semester and had renewed them on the shift he'd had the night before. It wouldn't hurt him to go on a date. It had been a while since he'd had to plan one but surely it was like riding a bike.

\- - -

Turned out that it was. Having worked before joining Starfleet, and despite what he'd said to Jim on the shuttle, he did have some savings left which he dipped into to take Nurse Freeman out for a nice dinner and then a movie. The night had gone smoothly, the conversation light hearted, and Leonard found himself looking forward to a second one.

\- - -

Jim was displeased. Her courses were been going well, amazingly in fact. She'd ranked top in most of them and been elected treasurer of the Xenolinguistics club. She'd even had a few good nights out, and then in, during the last six weeks. Her displeasure stemmed from the fact that Bones, her Bones, was now officially dating one of his nurses. She thought that was highly unprofessional, not to mention it meant less time for the two of them, but couldn't begrudge that her friend was happy.

"Do you want me to make myself scarce?" she said one evening as she was sat on the couch watch a movie with McCoy. They'd started off next to each other before Bones had put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. She'd been doing her best to give him some space now that he was someone else's, as much as that irked her.

"We're in the middle of the film," he'd said looking at her quizzically. She remained staring intently on the film.

"No, I mean so you can bring back your girlfriend," Jim tried to keep the disgust out her voice, really she did. Bones shrugged.

"Nah, Amelia has her own quarters," he said turning back to the film.

"Sorry," Jim said. For once she actually was, it was her insistence that meant they were dorming together as otherwise he would've received his own flat.

"Rather have the company," he said evenly. 'Even if I have to take a cold shower every morning'. It had been two weeks before he and Amelia Freeman had progressed to more intimate activities and three weeks before Bones realised that any attraction to Jim was not because he had been sex starved. Equally, his attraction was not because she was always touching him or otherwise in his personal space as he had noticed she'd made an effort not to do that. Instead his attraction to her was because it was her. He was used to her promiscuous ways though, she'd made it through most of the first year cadets already - male and female, and thought that if he'd had a chance she would've already made a move. Sure she had flirted on occasion but he seemed to have been the only male she knew between the ages of 18 and 50 that she had placed in the 'friend' zone. And he had come to accept that, grudgingly. So, whilst he did occasionally feel guilty, he was quite content pursuing a relationship with Amelia. She was a nice enough girl and they had a lot in common so it was pleasant, comfortable. And that was exactly what Leonard needed.

The flat settled into silence with the only noise broken by the television.

\- - -

It was week eight of the semester when Dr McCoy and Nurse Freeman split up. They had been in the midst of an intimate moment when Bones had let slip the wrong name. HE was very grateful that Amelia was so understanding, other women would have slapped him. However, she had suggested it was best if they went they're separate ways.

Jim looked up in surprise as he came back to the flat drunk from the bar he'd gone to afterwards.

"Bones?" she asked as he stumbled through the room. "Bones what happened?" she followed him into his bedroom. He ignored her in favour of going to the bathroom. Washing his face, he stared into the mirror. The face that looked back to him was unrecognisable. His eyes were red rimmed and blood shot whilst his skin was pale. He closed his eyes before opening them and standing up. Stripping off his shirt and jeans, he made his way back to the bedroom where Jim was sat on his bed. HE climbed under the covers and turned so he was facing away from her.

Jim stretched out along his back and put her hand on his shoulder HE shrugged it off but she placed it back again.

"What happened?"

"It's over!" he snapped turning to face her. "Happy now?"

"What?" Jim said in surprise, recoiling slightly.

"You never liked her and now we're not together any more so you can be happy. I'm all yours again," Bones ground out.

"Oh Bones," Jim said as she moved to hug him. A few seconds later he relaxed and let out his emotions on her shoulder.

\- - -

Things were awkward for the next week. Neither of the room-mates mentioned the evening, nor did Amelia tell anyone what had happened to cause their split. Even when faced with an irate Jim Kirk. In the end though, the pressures of final exams distracted them enough to fall back into old patterns and they soon forgot.

\- - -

"Plans for the holiday, kid?" Bones asked. He had taken to emphasising Jim's age in an attempt to stop his brain from lusting after her. It was wrong for a man his age, even if there were only six years difference it felt like a lifetime thanks to Med school.

"I was going to stay here. See if I can get on to any other optional courses," Jim replied from the kitchen.

"Fancy coming to Georgia?" Yeah so Bones had tried to stop lusting after her and then he asked her to spend two weeks with him at his family home. Occasionally he cursed his masochistic side. His plan was simple though. If he had her all to himself for two weeks then he'd either get sick and tired of her (even he realised that was unlikely) or he'd find out one way or another if she was interested in him (hopefully without ruining their friendship forever).

"For two weeks?" Jim asked, turning around so abruptly she almost brought the saucepan with her.

"'Bout that," Bones drawled leaning over the kitchen island cum bar the separated the kitchen from the living area.

"Why?" Jim narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Bones shrugged.

"My Ma wants to meet you. And Jo Jo..."

"Sure," Jim smiled before turning back to the sauce she was stirring. Bones sighed happily, even just a brief glimpse of that blinding smile directed at him, because of him, was enough to turn around his mood.

\- - -

Jim had been a huge hit with his mom. Turned out she did know about manners after all. And she had some modest clothing, even if most had the tags on still. Eleanora McCoy has put the two in adjoining rooms on the floor above the master bedroom. Leonard wasn't sure if this was because his mother believed there was more to their relationship but didn't want to say or because his mother believed there was more to their relationship but didn't want it happening in her house. It was hard to tell sometimes and it certainly wasn't a conversation he was going to have.

"Bones!" Jim greeted him as he stumbled into the kitchen for coffee. He winced. The girl had a warp core up her behind he was sure.

"Good morning Leonard," his mother said as she sat and read the news on her PADD.

"Morning Ma," he said bending over to kiss her hair, "Morning kid." He took his seat at the table. Jim pouted.

"No good morning kiss for me?" she puckered her lips at him.

"Don't know where you've been darlin'" he drawled, wincing as she kicked him under the table. As he looked up he caught his mother's slight smile as she read the newspaper and knew it wasn't from the article she was on. Damn, next his mother would be matchmaking.

"Perhaps, Jim," Eleanora started, "Leonard might take you out on the horses today. It's such a nice day for a picnic. You could head down toward the lakeside Leonard."

'And there she goes' Bones thought.

"Sure Ma,"

"That sounds just brilliant Mrs McCoy," Jim said. Bones still wasn't sure how it was that she could charm everyone but it had sure worked on his mother quick enough.

So it was that they ended up laid on a blanket underneath the shade of a willow tree in the early afternoon. The horses had been left to their own devices whilst the two cadets had eaten the picnic prepared by Eleanora. Now they were dozing in the afternoon heat and enjoying the comfortable silence.

"Can you dance?" Jim asked out of the blue, rolling on to her side and resting her head on her hand.

"Dance?" Bones repeated.

"Yeah, like waltz and stuff," Jim said.

"I can. Why?"

"Would you teach me?"

"Teach you?" Bones felt ridiculous for repeating her again.

"Well not teach, I know how to dance but it's been a while and I'm a bit rusty." Jim explained.

"Sure darlin'. I'll help you practice," Bones said, his eyes closing again. 'Sucker for punishment!' his internal voice screamed.

"Now?" Jim wheedled.

Bones groaned and opened an eye to look at her again. Jim adopted her trademarked pout and he sighed. Nothing got through that one. Sitting up, he placed his weight on one knee, wincing as it clicked. Offering a hand to Jim, he hauled her up and into his arms. She settled there quickly and taking position they started to waltz underneath the drooping branches of the tree.

'Sucker for punishment' Bones thought as Jim rested her head on his chest and he pressed a kiss to the top of it.

\- - -

The reason why Jim had asked for Leonard's help came in the form of an honest to god paper invitation to a formal commendation ball for the crew of the USS Cairo. Why Bones was receiving one was less clear.

"I need a date," Jim shrugged, gaze never leaving her PADD.

"So I get my own invite to this shindig?" Bones asked incredulously.

"I told Uncle Chris. Think he'd already pre-empted it though 'cause I only told him this morning." Jim replied finally looking at Bones. "You don't have to go, you know."

"No," Bones struggled running a hand through his hair. "Just. I'm a first year cadet, even if I'm hardly doing it traditionally. And I never expected to get my own damn invite to some swanky formal ball. And why are you invited?" It suddenly occurred to Bones to ask.

"Mom. She caught some hidden computer code in a transmission and they found some slave ships or something and there was a fight and she disabled them with some computer virus. So yeah she's getting promoted again and I have to go be supportive daughter and take photos for the press and be the good little Kelvin baby..." Jim trailed off bitterly. "But maybe this year I can have some fun?"

"Yeah kid. Maybe this year," Bones found himself saying. Christ when had it become so hard to say no. "But what am I gonna wear?"

\- - -

Bones was walking up the stairs of one of the bigger dorms on campus. Jim had gone around to Uhura's (who still refused to tell Jim her first name) and Gaila's (an Orion that Bones had too much knowledge about despite never actually sleeping with her) to get ready and do her hair. He had been told - ordered - to collect her at 6pm sharp. And so at 5.55pm he was climbing the stairs to fetch her whilst the taxi waited below.

He knocked on the door and waited. There was a rustling noise on the other side of the room and the door slid open.

Bones' mouth dropped of it's own accord as he took in the sight of Jim. He was used to her in skirts. He'd seen her in the feminine uniform more often than the pant-option Starfleet provided for women. Some of the skirts she's worn in Georgia even came close to her knees. However, he had never seen, nor imagined, what Jemima Kirk would look like in a ball gown.

The dress was a cream colour silk in a Grecian style. It complemented her lightly tanned skin and went well with her hair. Her hair had been curled and was half up on top of her head back from her face whilst the ringlets spilled down her back. And as her cheeks bloomed red, she looked every inch a blushing bride.

Bones swallowed thickly.

"So you ready then darlin'?" he managed to get out, catching her hand and placing it in the crook of his elbow.

"Lead the way," she said smiling up at him. The smile that made his knees go weak and all the blood head southwards.

"Ladies," he nodded to Uhura and Gaila as he escorted Jim to the waiting taxi.

\- - -

The ball itself was not the awful formal affair that Bones had thought it would be. Sure he was wearing his dress whites but so were the others. The only other shock was being introduced to Mom (Commander Kirk), Uncle Chris (Captain Pike) and Uncle Archie (Admiral Archer), as well as Captain Higgins, Commodore Veen and Commodore Stone who sat at the table. Despite this, conversation was easy. Commodore Veen had read some of McCoy's journal articles and spent most of the first course asking questions. This led to questions from Admiral Archer on his thoughts on Starfleet General Hospital. Never one for sugar coating the truth, Bones told him his opinion.

"It's excellent for teaching. And for research. The equipment is more than I could ever hope to get my hands on when I worked in the ER. However, whilst you can manage a shuttle crash or a training accident, should there be an epidemic, even of flu, or a major incident then the hospital would implode. At Atlanta we dealt with more complex crisis every night in the ER."

Of course this meant that Bones found himself now writing a proposal on what he'd do to change things based on his experience in the ER at Atlanta General to be submitted by Admiral Archer to the rest of the Admirals. Other than this though, the food was excellent, the wine (and other alcohol) flowed freely and Jim kept finding an excuse to touch him - a hand on his arm, a knee pressed to his - that kept him buoyed with good spirits.

The best part of the evening though was when it was time to dance. As soon as the meal had finished and the band started playing, Jim had taken Bones hand and dragged him on the dance floor. They weren't alone but it felt like it as Bones held Jim in his arms. He was taken back to that lazy day in Georgia when they'd danced within their own little world under the tree until twilight had fallen and the glow worms made their appearance.

The band had started to pick up pace a little when Pike cut in to dance with Jim. Commander Kirk stepped up to Bones.

"Ma'am," he said respectfully.

"Winona,"

"Yes ma'am," he said with a thick accent. Winona smiled. Bones continued to lead them around the floor.

"My daughter mentions you frequently. Well, she barely comms me but when she does you always appear in her message," Winona said causing Bones to stumble slightly. He recovered quickly.

"We're room mates," he tried to shrug it off.

"No I think it's more than that. Jim doesn't do friends. Jim has associates, people who can do something for her, but never friends. I'm sure she already has a list of potential crew for when she graduates in a few years,"

"Two years," Bones corrected automatically. "Ma'am,"

Winona laughed.

"Yes she insists on managing it in three years doesn't she. I wish Christopher would stop encouraging her with such ideas," Winona rolled her eyes. "Tell me, did she give you a choice before rooming with her?"

"Not in so many words," Bones grinned. A slow easy grin that came from having found someone else who understood Jim Kirk for the wonderful, if infuriating, person that she was. "Although I think it's you I have to thank for her computer skills,"

"She taught most of it to herself from watching me," Winona shrugged. It sounded like the brilliant thing that Jim would do. Bones could imagine her, a small toddler - the same age as Jo when he'd left - sat on her mother's knee watching her type on a PADD.

"I don't know how much she's told you. Chris let's me know some things as Jim is hopeless at keeping in touch and you're her doctor," 'In every sense of the way' Winona privately thought. "So I'm sure you've drawn some conclusions. Jim and I aren't as close as I'd like to be. Things have been a challenge,"

Bones nodded. He could understand that. He was a father himself and he felt a failure for not being there to see his daughter grow up but he couldn't have stayed in Georgia either and been around Jocelyn and the reminders of their failed marriage. For Winona Kirk it would be the reminder of how she had lost her brave, brilliant husband. Especially as Jim was a spitting, if feminine, image of George Kirk.

"But I do love my daughter very much. Take care of her for me Bones," Winona finished. It was a surprise to hear a different woman call him that nickname. It sounded similar but just not quite right to his ears.

"Always," Bones promised easily. He'd vowed to do exactly that anyway.

\- - -

The party had continued into the small hours of the morning. They'd gotten a lift home with Winona and Pike and as Jim and Bones had stumbled out the taxi, Jim with Bones' jacket around her shoulders; Pike handed them an exemption note from classes the next day. With a smile and a wink, the two officers had ordered the taxi to continue.

"So," Bones started as they got into the warmth of their flat. "How long before Uncle Chris becomes Dad?"

He screeched - in a manly way - when Jim threw herself at him, tickling him into submission.

\- - -

The next day Jim and Bones were sat together eating lunch.

"Cadet Uhura," Jim greeted.

"Kirk, Doctor," Uhura replied primly before settling in to her incredibly healthy salad option. Shortly after Gaila came over.

"Hotties," the Orion greeted them, giving a suggestive leer. "You scrub up pretty good Doc,"

Bones, seeing that the canteen was mostly empty and wanting to avoid a sex craved alien, thought it the better part of valour to resign now. After all, he had been married and knew that they were waiting for gossip.

"I'll see you later," he said to Jim as he picked up his tray.

"At 9, yeah?" Jim asked placing a hand on his arm as he stood. He nodded and stalked off but not before he heard,

"So? How'd it go?"

\- - -

Before long, summer had rolled around. Bones was going back to Georgia for a week or two before coming back to take some shifts at the hospital and then head back to Georgia. Jim was planning on staying for summer classes in order to keep her plan of getting ahead. She'd managed to sweet talk Admiral Archer into getting a faculty member to accept her early on a course last term which would otherwise have held her back. That one evening had enlightened Bones to a lot of the reasons why Jim Kirk was either loved or hated by Starfleet officers and simultaneously written up for behaviour against regs but never actually punished.

Jim's mom was still in San Francisco. She'd taken an Earth based position for the time being and Bones knew that the two women were looking forward to spending some time together so he didn't extend another invitation to Georgia; even though his mother scolded him thoroughly for it.

Instead Bones and Jim kept in touch daily on their comms.

Eleanora got her wish though when, in the last week of the holiday, Winona was being called to Russia to work on a new project leaving Jim free to visit. Again they had two adjacent rooms although Jim spent the nights there tucked in bed with Leonard.

"I missed you," she whispered in the darkness on the first night.

Bones pulled her closer to him and buried his face in her hair.

"You too darlin'" he replied in a thick honeyed tone. "So much,"

Jim shuffled so she was facing him before placing a chaste kiss on his lips. Bones quirked a smile against them before returning it.

"See you in the morning sugar," he drawled as he curled himself around her. He felt her breathing even out as sleep took her and followed not long after.

\- - -

The second year started more successfully than the first. There were no bar fights the night before or all night drinking sessions. Neither Bones nor Jim were sporting a bust lip and black eye. Jim wasn't even glared at by security officers or cute girls she'd tried to chat up. Jim took it to be a sign of maturity.

"We have to go out tonight," she said to Bones as they dumped their bags in the floor of the living room.

"Agreed. O'Grady's?"

Jim nodded.

O'Grady's was a dingy bar not far from campus which was loved by the cadets for the loud music on the jukebox, cheap beer and ability to let off steam with a bar brawl or two. It wasn't considered a good night unless campus security was called.

As such, Bones had to carry Jim home as she was too drunk to walk herself and sporting a nasty sprained ankle. She smiled. 'Maturity can kiss my arse'

\- - -

The campus had settled into routine. The first years had been taught their place whilst the second years and above picked back up from where they'd left last year. Kirk and McCoy were no exception. Leonard spent most of his time in class or at the clinic whilst Jim spent most of hers in class or picking up a companion for the night. Twice a week though they made time for each other. On Monday it was lunch in the canteen between classes and on Thursday it was watching a film together.

It had been a surprise for Bones to learn that Jim preferred romance films to any others. Given her propensity to throw herself into a fight against four guys bigger than herself she seemed more likely to be an action movie girl. Or maybe horror. Instead Bones was treated to a rare view of the marshmallow she was beneath her brash and cocky exterior. Despite the poor, in his opinion, choice of movies, though, he much preferred their Thursday nights in because he had Jim all to himself.

Their routine was broken halfway through term though when Bones woke up one morning to the sounds of Jim in the bathroom. Grabbing a tricorder from his bedside table - he was a doctor after all - he went in. Smoothing her hair back, he held her until she felt better and as she rinsed her mouth out he scanned her with the tricorder.

"When was your last menstruation?" he asked.

"Oh my god Bones! You can't ask that!" Jim exclaimed. Bones raised an eyebrow.

"Darlin', when was your last period?" Bones asked again slowly.

"I dunno. Just before Georgia?" Jim replied shrugging her shoulders. She wasn't sure why he was asking but he'd used his I'm-a-responsible-doctor-answer-my-questions voice so she felt she better.

"That was almost three months ago!" he ground out. "You're meant to tell me these things..."

"Yeah 'cause that conversation comes up so often," Jim snorted.

"Dammit Jim, I'm your doctor. I need to know this stuff."

"Well three months is hardly unusual anyway. And I've been busy,"

"You can say that again," Bones agreed. "You're pregnant."

A deafening silence hit the bathroom.

"What?" Jim finally managed to get out.

"Pregnant," Bones repeated, his tone softening and his accent slipping back in. Jim's knees gave out and Bones caught her around the waist before she hit the ground. Sinking down with her, he cradled her in his lap.

"I can't be," Jim shook her head. "I refuse. Scan me again. You've got to be wrong," Bones sighed but scanned her again. The results came back the same.

"But how? No, not that how," she said as Bones opened his mouth. "I took my shots, all of them!"

"Did you miss a day?"

Jim opened her mouth to deny it when it occurred to her that she had, she'd been so busy with her mom, who had returned shortly after classes started, that she'd forgotten to arrange her appointment until the day after. Her mouth snapped shut again.

"Do you know who the father is?" Bones asked carefully, she was seven weeks along but that still left it wide open for possibility. Jim shook her head and buried it in his shoulder. He stroked a hand through her hair and held her as she started sobbing. He held her for what seemed like an eternity until her sobs faded to hiccups and eventually to nothing but tremors. She looked up with red rimmed eyes.

"Can you get rid of it?"

Bones sighed and pulled her forwards to kiss her forehead. He'd be risking his medical license but he wouldn't make Jim come into the clinic. Then it would go in her file and he had living proof on his lap of how poor computer encryption was. He couldn't stand to make her go to an outside clinic either so other than making her carry the baby there really was only one option.

"Yes" he all but whispered as she put her head back on his shoulder. Together the two of them sat on the floor for hours before the sun rose in the sky and McCoy's alarm went off to tell him he had half an hour before his shift.

\- - -

Coming back from the clinic that evening, Leonard felt on edge. In his bag he'd smuggled out the drugs needed and he'd signed Jim off of classes for the rest of the week citing an unspecified medical issue.

Jim was waiting for him, still wrapped in a blanket on the couch as he'd left her before he went to work. She looked at him as he entered.

"You wanna lay down in bed baby?" he asked softly. She shook her head.

"No need." she whispered, drawing her knees to her chest. Bones felt his heart lurch. Dropping to his knees in front of her he took out a tricorder.

"May I?" he asked before scanning. His worst fears were confirmed. She'd miscarried the baby. Wrapping his arms around her, he scooped her up and carried her into his bedroom. Laying her on the bed, he went back out to the living room before he stripped off his scrubs and crawled next to her. Gathering his non-responsive best friend close to him he injected a hypo into her neck. It contained a mild sedative that he had planned on giving her before the other drugs so that she wouldn't have to be awake through the procedure. Now he gave it to her so she could have some respite as her body natural killed off the baby she had only just found out she was carrying. Bones held her closer as she drifted out of consciousness and cried for her.

\- - -

It was a good thing that Leonard had signed Jim off classes. The next two weeks were living hell as Jim retreated from everyone. She refused to leave the flat and after the first night had barely come out her own room. Bones knew his Jim and knew that she'd be blaming herself for the miscarriage. In the morning she had talked about abortion and then her body granted her request. Psychology was his second speciality, if he had to pick one, and without knowing the ins and outs of Jim's history it was obvious from her behaviour that she considered herself worthless. Now she felt responsible for yet another thing she couldn't control and despite all his training, Bones was at a loss to know where to start to make her feel better.

Things came to a head on the last day of the second week when Bones received an urgent summons to Pike's office in the middle of a shift at the clinic. When he got there Captain Pike was waiting for him as well as Winona Kirk.

"Sit." Pike ordered as Leonard entered.

"What did you do to my little girl?" Winona Kirk shouted as Pike opened his mouth. He shut it with a clack. Bones could tell he wasn't going to get any help here.

"Nothing," he replied standing up.

"Sit, Cadet" Pike ordered.

"No sir, ma'am. I've done nothing to Jim except for try and help her. If you want to know what's wrong then ask her yourself," Bones made for the door.

"I have asked her but she won't tell me," Winona called out before he got to it. "I just want to know how to make my baby better,"

Bones turned to her.

"If I knew how then I would have already done it," he said before leaving the room.

\- - -

The meeting did have a positive side. Bones' academic advisor had placed a call to the flat and left a message for him asking him to come back after he'd finished his meeting with Captain Pike and Commander Kirk. This was everything Jim had needed to get her out of her funk. She was so angry with her mother and honorary Uncle that she stormed into the faculty administration building dressed in the first set of clothes she'd found, not caring that they were her civvies.

Whatever it was that was said in the room was unknown but Jim certainly pushed the soundproofing to the very limits as students and staffed scurried by quickly. Some fourth year cadets even jumped out her way when she came storming out.

Bones was very happy when he came home from work to find his room mate operable again. It eased the worry he'd faced all day wondering if he was to be court marshalled for insubordination.

\- - -

Recovering from the physical symptoms, Kirk threw herself back into classes with a fury in order to catch up on what she'd missed and gain more ground. Bones had switched most of his shifts so that they were at the same time that Jim had classes in order to be home as often as possible. It allowed him to keep an eye on her and make sure she ate rather than study into the ground. Jim quickly learnt that Bones was actually a good cook, a rival to her own skill, as he took over most of the household chores. It meant that Bones could be around in case Jim finally broke down.

By the time the Christmas break rolled around, Jim was caught up in classes and acting like nothing was wrong but Bones knew that she couldn't keep it bottled up inside. As she still wasn't talking to her mom or Pike, he invited her to Georgia for the holiday. His Ma was ecstatic and secretly so was he, despite wishing it was under better circumstances.

However, Bones still wasn't around the day Jim finally let it all out. He'd spent the day alone with Joanna. No, it was Eleanora McCoy who offered a friendly shoulder and helped Jim past her issues. Bones knew the moment he walked in the house what had happened and he had never been more grateful for his mother. That night Bones didn't bother hiding that Jim slept in his bed as he carried her up the stairs from where she'd eventually fallen asleep on the sofa.

\- - -

The second semester of the second year started in earnest. Jim, who had completed most of the second year courses and some of the third, embraced the workload that came with it whilst tentatively rebuilding her relationship with Winona and Chris Pike. Bones had finally been signed up for aviophobia sessions and shuttle simulations. Jim was with him every step of the way.

Despite his busy schedule though, he realised that Jim was no longer partying like she used to. When he came home from a late shift it was no longer to find dinner in the oven and a note on the fridge. He still had dinner in the oven but his room mate was tucked up in bed instead.

It was in the canteen four weeks into term when he heard Jim turning down an invite to a party.

"You should go," he said to her as she tried to excuse herself. "You work too hard. Doctor's orders."

Jim smiled a half smile.

"Well if my doctor orders it," she said and agreed to meet the other cadet at the bar.

Bones' stomach clenched at the thought of losing his Jim to another guy but he was worried about her. He'd never want to encourage her promiscuity but she couldn't change her entire way of living based on the fear that came about from one mishap. Maturity would be a wonderful reason to see her settle down, not because she was scared. And until that time, Bones knew it was his duty as a friend to help her back on her feet.

It worked. Although Jim was more careful and, more often than not, came back home rather than staying out, developing a few familiar and regular bed partners instead of a constant stream of different people.

\- - -

The last semester of the second year rolls around and with it come Bones' insecurities. By now Jim has fast recovered. She's sleeping in her own room and, if she isn't as carefree as before, she no longer lets her fear rule her. It's also the last chance Bones' knows, that he has to relax. He's only on a three year course as he's already a qualified doctor. Next year he faces his final classes and the course load practically triples.

All these elements combined in the third week of the semester with him ending up very drunk on a Friday night. Somehow, although he can never remember, he manages to get back to the flat and collapse on the sofa. That's where Jim finds him at 4am as she sneaks quietly back in from her night out.

"Bones?" she asks in surprise. He merely grunts. "Bones are you drunk?"

She can smell him from the doorway. Whiskey and Bourbon and Vodka. Whatever it is that's upset him, it's something serious. Bones only gets drunk like this on the anniversary of his Dad dying, his wedding and Joanna's birthday.

"S'your fault," Bones slurs as Jim's face materialises in front of him. He's so far gone he isn't sure if she's real or not. She probably isn't, he decides. She usually isn't. "S'your fault that I love you. And you don't care for me back but I can't not love you. Why don't you care?"

"Oh Bones," Jim sighs as she tries to help him into bed.

"No! Why don't you? You've slept with every other man on campus and half the women too. Why not me?" he slur shouts at her. He's starting to sober up at the corners of his brain. He realises now that it's Jim. Really Jim. And he's admitted to loving her. However the alcohol is still heavy in his blood stream and he can't stop his tongue from speaking. Then he realises that Jim is saying something to him.

"... you too Bones. I do love you too but that's why I can't sleep with you because you're special. You're so special to me, the only person in my life that I feel this way about, that I've ever felt this way about and I know that you don't do casual Bones. And you deserve better than casual. You deserve someone who will be there for you forever and I can't do that, not yet." Jim's muttering to him, the alcohol in her blood stream and the hormones from flirting all evening loosen her tongue.

"Saving the best til last?" Bones manages to drawl out wanting to hurt her. She's hurting him so it's only fair. And his words hit their target. Jim winces.

"Yes Bones," she says as she tucks the covers around him and kisses him on the forehead before leaving the room. Bones wants to follow her. To apologise to her. To hold her in his arms and make everything better. But right now, his limbs feel heavy and his tongue is weighty and he can't do anything but embrace the blackness that claims him.

\- - -

Bones remembers in the morning. He gets snatches of words in between emptying his stomach in the toilet and feels his cheeks inflame with shame. This intensifies when Jim comes in to check on him and injects him with an anti-hangover drug he keeps in stock at the flat.

"'M sorry," he mutters to her as his head ache starts to recede. Jim shrugs but lets him lean against her on the floor.

"I love you too Bones," she says quietly. "But I can't do permanent. Not yet,"

Bones nods. He's far more rational when he's not drunk. Besides, he still hasn't yet unpacked all Jim's baggage although they're getting there slowly. He's learnt snatches and put them together to form a better picture. He knows it was her step-father 'Uncle Frank' who was responsible for the scars on her back. Has watched her undress enough to realise they were made with a whip. He doesn't know for sure but his psychology training tells him that her malnutrition was probably an eating disorder to compensate for the abuse. He still has more to learn though.

"I can wait darlin'" he says, looking her directly in the eyes. And he means it, truly. He'd wait for an eternity to hold Jim in his arms and have her forever. He thinks back to the ball he'd taken her to last year and the wedding-like dress she wore. To have her wear that again and become Mrs McCoy, Bones thinks he could wait for that.

Jim lets him go and he brushes his teeth. When he's finished she steps up to him. Jim winds her arms around his neck and lifts herself up on tip toes. Gently she presses her mouth to his in a kiss that he returns. His arms come around her to hold her flush to him. He can wait.

\- - -

Jim stormed into Captain Pike's office. The admin staff scattered when they saw her coming with a determined look on her face.

"I'm serving with Bones," Jim announced to Pike without hesitation.

"Hello sir, thank you for seeing me," Pike said sarcastically.

"I mean it. I'm serving with Bones or not at all,"

"The problem with that," Pike started "is that Dr McCoy has requested a land based posting and is most likely going to be snapped up by Starfleet Medical Academy to head their trauma department and research lab."

"Then I stay here and teach," Jim shrugged.

"You're going to graduate early from the command track to spend your life teaching?" Pike leant back in his chair raising an eyebrow. 'Bones is so much better at that' Jim thought. She nodded.

"Look, Uncle Chris. I know that you start thinking about assignments for the graduating class now. And I know that I'm going to finish next year. I only have a few third year classes left and I've got summer school. You know I'm going to graduate next year so you're already looking at assigning me. So I'm telling you that I'm not serving without Bones."

"And if I assign you somewhere else anyway?" Pike asked his niece in all but blood.

"Then I quit," Jim said simply.

"Very well. I'll take it under consideration." Pike said. He'd have to have a word with the good doctor. He wanted Kirk on his ship, even without being so close to her he would want her. She was clever, tenacious and inspired those around her. He wanted Dr McCoy too for his medical staff. One day McCoy would be CMO, the best, but first he needed a few years experience on a ship and not on the ground. However, he had specifically requested a land based posting and due to his daughter, and his skill, this was likely to be honoured. Unless he could get him to change his mind.

\- - -

Bones entered Pike's office.

"It wasn't Jim," he started with as he sat down.

"It wasn't Jim what?" Pike asked and then thought better of it. "On second thoughts I don't want to know."

Bones made a noise of agreement and Pike resisted the urge to rub the bridge of his nose. He wondered how many faculty members he'd have to calm down this time. He took a deep breath.

"I did want to talk to you about Jim though. She has declared that she will only serve where you serve,"

Pike observed the doctor. He seemed taken aback.

"She knows I don't want to go into space," he said gruffly. Pike nodded.

"Yes she's said she'll stay here and teach when she graduates."

"Of all the stupid, idiotic..." Leonard trailed off. "Alright, I'll serve on a ship but only if I'm with Jim. If we're separated I'm not leaving Earth. Not for anything,"

Pike nodded again. He and Winona had a bet on how long before Jim and Leonard finally admitted they were dating. He was fairly sure it wouldn't be long. Winona held out saying her daughter was too stubborn to be tamed any time soon.

"Thank you doctor. That's all,"

Bones saluted and left the office. He had a command track cadet to track down and yell at.

\- - -

The summer between second and third year passed similar to the previous summer. Kirk stayed behind to take advantage of summer school sessions to get ahead whilst Bones made the most of the time he had with his daughter. For the last week in the holidays, Jim flew to Georgia to stay. This time Eleanora didn't even both setting up the second bedroom.

Their days were spent together reading, riding the horses or occasionally walking into town. On the last day before they left, they had another picnic under the tree by the lake. They danced for a bit but eventually ended up laid out across the blanket. There they shared a few chaste kisses before Jim deepened it. The rest of the afternoon passed contently as they explored each other mouths, hands running over bodies and holding each other close. There was no rush to move beyond kissing and they returned to the house with bruised lips and big smiles.

\- - -

Upon returning to Starfleet, the first semester passes quickly. The final year is upon them and the pressure is on as Bones had predicted. Even Jim is feeling the strain and she's never had to study for a test in her life. Good news comes in the form of Leonard's shuttle Sim results. He's passed, if barely, so he's able to join Jim in space. They spend the evening curled in front of a movie, watching very little. Despite giving up any pretence of using both bedrooms and having moved all Jim's belongings into Leonard's wardrobe, they still haven't moved their relationship on any further. Bones is prepared to wait. He knows that Jim is still seeing other people although she does her best not to rub it in his face. And he knows that once he has Jim he isn't going to let her go so he sits back and waits for her, content with the knowledge that she always comes back to him. Always.

\- - -

The Kobayashi Maru, McCoy decided, was god damn torture and could go to hell in a hand basket. Today had been Jim's second attempt at it and again she had lost. The first time it had taken a whole evening of cajoling and cuddling to get her to open up. This time he'd come home to find Jim sat fully clothed under the shower. The water had been bitterly cold and he had run a warm bath to try and avoid hypothermia. They had sat together in the bath tub as Jim wept on his shoulder. He scooped her out the water and carried her to the bed to towel her off. Laying the covers over her, he scooted in the other side and pulled her back so he was spooning her.

"All those people I killed today," she sobbed as he held her and rocked her.

"It was real darlin'" he said over and over again until eventually she fell asleep.

When Jim announced in the morning that she was going to do it again and this time she was going to pass then Bones just sighed and started to see who he could swap his shift at the clinic with. He thought Jim was crazy for trying again but he knew if it were a surgery gone wrong that he had the chance to redo then he'd take every single one of them.

\- - -

Of course after that third attempt, and Kirk's unprecedented pass and then the resulting academic tribunal, everything does go to hell in a hand basket.

McCoy smuggled Kirk on to the Enterprise and really Pike shouldn't have been surprised to see her.

McCoy shouldn't have been surprised that Jim was right. He also should have stood up for her on the bridge before she was marooned although he'll always swear that he knew she'd find a way. Jim Kirk doesn't believe in no-win situations. Something he'd learnt long ago.

Bones also shouldn't have been surprised that Jim provokes Spock to the point that she almost dies. Nor should he have been surprised that her plan worked.

"I am no longer fit for duty. I hereby relinquish my command, based on the fact that I have been emotionally compromised. Please note the time and date in the ship's log. " Spock said facing Bones before he and his father exited the bridge.

Bones vaguely heard the new Scottish officer saying something in the background but he was too engrossed with his frustration to notice.

"Well, congratulations, Jim. Now we've got no Captain and no god damn first officer to replace him. " he snarls.

He shouldn't have been shocked when Jim threw herself into the command chair either.

"Pike made him first officer." The Asian guy at the helm said.

Bones barely held back his disbelief. A fact that Jim picked up on. Never let it be said that Jim Kirk can't equally match Leonard McCoy for sarcasm when necessary.

After that, Jim came up with an extraordinary hair brained idea that involved putting herself in a ridiculous amount of danger that she stood little chance in surviving. Bones was just glad to see her when Scotty beamed her on to the transporter pad.

"Jim!" he cried out moving forward. Jim, small as she was, was holding most of Pike's weight.

"Bones!" he'd known Jim for three years, the relief in her voice was evident to him. Bones took Pike as medical orderlies moved forward with a stretcher.

"I got him," Bones wanted to stay and chat but Jim was off and Bones had a patient to look after.

\- - -

It was seventeen hours later when Doctor Leonard McCoy, Acting CMO of the USS Enterprise finished operating on Captain Pike. Twice he'd lost the man in surgery before bringing him back. The nerve trauma caused by the slugs might never heal properly but Bones had tried his very best. Now though, as he made his way through sickbay, looking over patients that had been seen by other doctors whilst he was busy and trying not to stumble before he got to the door. Now, he was just so tired coming off the stimulants that he could sleep for a week. Ho only hoped that Jim was waiting for him when he got there.

She wasn't. Bones could see that as soon as the doors opened. Pulling off his blood stained tops first he dropped them to the floor before changing into sweatpants. He considered getting into bed before turning around and heading to the bridge. Jim was sat in her chair issuing orders and receiving PADDs from different yeoman.

"Enough Jim," Bones said quietly, activity stopped on the bridge as they turned to look at the topless doctor. Bones really couldn't have cared less at that moment. All he wanted was Jim to come and get some sleep with him. She'd made it this far with only basic medical treatment but she wouldn't get much further without sleep.

"I have too much to do Bones," she said as she typed furiously and handed a PADD to a yeoman to take back. Another one quickly took her place. Looking around, Bones noticed that all the original bridge crew were gone, the stations manned by a skeleton crew. Spock though, was standing at the science desk.

"Let Spock take command darlin'. Come to bed," Bones said moving forward and catching Jim's hand in his own. He pulled on it causing her to rise. He nodded to Spock who hung back until Bones had manoeuvred Jim into the turbo-lift. By the time they reached the right floor though, Jim was already mostly asleep so Bones scooped her up bridal style to carry her. The last of the stims were coursing in his blood stream but it was enough to get them to his room. Jim hadn't been assigned quarters and the bed was narrow but they didn't need much room together. And there they took respite in each other's presence for a short while.

\- - -

If Bones had thought they were busy on the ship getting back to Earth then he re-evaluated that position when they docked. Between finishing the academic review (because saving the world just wasn't enough), official debriefings of what had happened, final exams for classes only half taken (Starfleet really did have shit priorities, McCoy decided), commissioning ceremonies and compulsory counselling, it was amazing they had time for sleep, yet alone anything else. The worst part of all though were the press conferences and diplomatic parties where the Enterprise Crew were regaled as heroes. Parades were thrown and people cheered.

"This is bullshit," Jim said between her teeth as the waved half heartedly at the people cheering from the roadside. She was stood in front of Bones next to Uhura and Spock with Scotty on the other side.

"Well said, Captain." Uhura said as she smiled and waved.

"How many counsellors d'ya think we've been thru' now?" Scotty asked.

"Four." Spock replied promptly. As the only Vulcan member of the bridge crew he didn't have to smile and wave. "Although I believe the fifth might be leaving us imminently,"

Bones had to bite back a chuckle. It was true. But then it was Starfleet. Instead of letting them all get drunk and lick their wounds they were on this god damn bus being driven through St. Petersburg, Russia so people could wave and cheer. They had run off the counselling staff sent along by Starfleet. Time would be the only thing to heal these wounds. Three quarters of all cadets above second year had been killed. Leonard could count on one hand the number of medical track cadets that still remained alive. Talking and discussing how they felt in between being made to wave and smile at people or listen to speeches at fancy events was never going to work.

"How long 'til we get to finish this crap?" Bones asked.

"Too long," Scotty replied. He hated being parted from 'his girl'.

"I agree with Lieutenant- Commander Scott's assessment," Spock said.

"C'mon guys. It could be worse..." Jim tried to rally her troops with a winning smile. It failed, miserably. The only good thing that had come out of this was that Jim had been given the USS Enterprise. From there she had requested that all the crew who had served on it in the Battle for Earth, as it was being called, served again for their upcoming five year mission. Some of the cadets had declined wishing to stay as far away from space as possible but most had quickly agreed. In the week following the defeat of Nero and getting home, Jim had learnt every person's name on board the ship and made a point of speaking to everyone. She'd taken the time to learn their stories and they felt respected, wanted. It had been Bones though who held Jim together as she sobbed her guilt out at night. Turning back to the crowd, he smiled and waved. 'I never though there'd come a time when I looked forward to going to space' McCoy thought wryly.

\- - -

The media circus was over and Bones had dragged Jim to Georgia for the last month of their six month leave before the Enterprise was due to depart. It had taken most of that time for the damage to be fixed and parts rebuilt but Jim had left Scotty in charge. She knew that he'd take care of her baby just as well as anyone and she had other plans.

As was practically tradition now, Leonard and Jim were picnicking by the lake. Stretched out on the blanket looking at the rustling branches, Jim had her head pillowed on his chest. Rolling over so she was mostly on his chest, she leant up and kissed him deeply. Bones carded his hand through her long hair. She'd let it down today and it fell like a waterfall down her back.

"I love you Bones," she whispered to him as they pulled apart for air. "I'm ready now,"

Bones looked down at her, a strand of hair wrapped around his finger.

"You sure darlin'? 'Cause I ain't never lettin' you go after?" he murmured, accent thick.

"Forever, Bones. I'm yours forever."

\- - -

Five years later, the USS Enterprise is in orbit of Earth. They are due to land in the next few days but none of the crew, already hardened by the Battle of Earth, crystallised by the past five years of laughing, loving and losing with each other, feel any desire to get there sooner than they need to. It had been a blessed relief to get off the planet and they aren't sure what welcome awaits them this time. Besides, there's a great reason not to land just yet.

The mess hall has been transformed. The furniture move out of the room so that all of the 350 crew members left can fit. The spaceship is unmanned as everyone gathers there, along with some honoured guests. If the Klingons wished to start a war then the ship would be theirs for the taking. Commander Spock is stood at the front of the room with Commander McCoy. He's shuffling nervously in his best dress uniform. The music starts and the Doctor loses his breathe.

Jim has kept the dress from that ball held so many years ago. It's been hidden at the back of her closet waiting for this day. Uhura and Gaila have done her hair again and Bones is transported back to that corridor of the noisy boarding house as he watches her walk down the aisle made between her crew.

"We are gathered here today..." Spock starts but his words wash over the happy couple as they face each other at the altar. Somehow they get through the ceremony with the right responses but neither could claim to have noticed. Instead Bones thanks Jocelyn, he thanks Pike, he thanks Winona. He thanks all those that brought them both to that first fateful shuttle ride and as he kisses his new wife he thinks 'Forever'.

 


End file.
